WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump has responded to Tuesday night’s attack by Iran on US and coalition forces stationed at bases in Iraq.

“All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq,” Trump tweeted. “Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning.”

Shortly after 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against U.S. military and coalition forces in Iraq. It was not immediately clear if any U.S. service members were hurt in the strikes.

U.S. stock futures plunged on Tuesday night on news of the Iranian offensive.

Trump spent part of Tuesday night meeting with national security officials at the White House about the attacks.

Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Army Gen. Mark Milley were all seen leaving the White House.

Earlier in the day on Tuesday, Trump had said the United States was “totally prepared” for Iran to retaliate.

“And likewise, we’re prepared to attack if we have to as retribution,” Trump said.

Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, said in a tweet late Tuesday that Iran “took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense.” He added: “We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression.”

Aaaand we're done....?

I think this is a coordinated effort between Iran and US.....just my hunch.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the Chinese coronavirus — which has killed 170 in China and infected more than 7,700 people — could “help” to bring jobs to the United States because companies will be moving operations away from impacted areas.

During an appearance Thursday morning on Fox Business, Ross said that he didn’t “want to talk about a victory lap over a very unfortunate, very malignant disease,” and expressed sympathy for the victims. But he said the pneumonia-like virus would be a consideration for American businesses that are scrambling to determine how the outbreak will affect their supply chains. He pointed to the 2003 SARS epidemic, the “African swine virus” and now coronavirus as “another risk factor that people need to take into account.”

“I think it will help to accelerate the return of jobs to North America, some to [the] U.S., probably some to Mexico as well,” Ross said. He then said Apple was “talking about figuring out how to replace some of the Chinese production.” Apple had plans to assemble some phones and computers outside China before the coronavirus outbreak.

“I think there’s a confluence of factors that will make it very, very likely more reshoring to the U.S. and some reshoring to Mexico,” Ross said.
The White House has been pressuring companies in China to move operations to the United States. President Trump recently signed a partial trade deal with China meant to create new incentives for U.S. companies.

But public health experts were quick to criticize Ross’s comments as inaccurate and dangerous, saying such messaging could suppress reports of new infections. Meanwhile, health officials are up against the spread of false information on social media, from conspiracy theories to deceitful claims of magical cures. And Facebook, Google and Twitter are scrambling to crack down on the spread of dangerous health disinformation.

Georges C. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said that American companies would have more reason to be concerned about gun violence or measles outbreaks stateside “in terms of actual risk to their health than coronavirus.”

“You have somebody of that stature who makes an irresponsible comment, speaking on matters in which he has no expertise, and there’s no scientific or historical evidence to what he’s saying,” Benjamin said of Ross.

“With this kind of new disease, you want as much openness as you can,” Benjamin added. “If you suppress that openness, which this will do, then you absolutely make it worse and more people will get sick, and more people will die.”

Sandro Galea, dean of the School of Public Health at Boston University, said infectious diseases “threaten all of us” and that there’s never a positive consequence from an outbreak. Ross’s comments “rest on a misunderstanding of how infectious diseases are transmitted,” Galea said.

There’s a “responsibility that public officials have to communicate in an informed manner that educates the public and moves us towards an understanding of what actually generates help,” Galea said. “A comment like this achieves the exact opposite purpose.”

I've mentioned Parscale in the past in the form of a dire warning for 20. This is a pretty good article detailing the depths of insidiousness and the effect the misdirection of truth can have on angry people desperate to have their voice noticed. We can't manage sm, and AI is looming It makes other good points as well.

I've mentioned Parscale in the past in the form of a dire warning for 20. This is a pretty good article detailing the depths of insidiousness and the effect the misdirection of truth can have on angry people desperate to have their voice noticed. We can't manage sm, and AI is looming It makes other good points as well.

And still Trump and his cronies are "stupid".........
(yes, some are stupid, the ones in jail...... )

Maybe that is exactly what they want you to think so you (us and the rest of the superior coastal elites) continue to rest on our laurels, just wait it out, people will come to their senses......I mean for God's sake....Trump thinks Kansas City is in Kansas?!!!!! I mean really, all we gotta do is wait............. ..............

The Dems, and all the other 'enlightened' ones, are the people wandering around in no man's land, with buckets on their heads.....

Okay, here you go.
I'm not betting on nominee, even though I think it will still be Biden, as crazy as that sounds now. It will be nuts, but he's the guy. Sanders will have to radically change in order for it to be him. And I don't see that happening. I'm not really passionate about this point.

I am passionate about Trump doing way better than expected. And elites/satiated class being shocked by that.

I have $60 on Trump getting >55% popular vote and >45 states.
Nothing for Trump winning presidency (electoral), but doesn't get popular (or </= 55%)
And $40 for you if Dem wins presidency (electoral)

I know you think that what you call elites are stupid, but that's not true. They are confused as to the best approach this election due to the high stakes and the diverse platforms involved. That, and there are powerful influences within the party that are terrified of a Sanders presidency increases the chances that it's a divide that cannot be breached. At the end of the day, what I think you are really saying has very little to do with ideology, and everything to do with simply winning. That's ok. But it's weird to me that your glee about your conclusion is a celebration of elite misery, with no concern for another 4 years of democratic, humanistic, environmental, etc collapse under trump. Seems to border on arrogance, which is what you continually say you despise from the "libs". As an aside, I never liked the pejorative use of the word elite(s); it's simply code for the celebrated attack on science, academics, morality, truth, and the well educated in general (these are good things)...a cornerstone of fascism, of course.

So, I'm not going to take the 55%. The reasons I've mentioned are the reason. Too, voter turnout is in question, although less so than many think. In '84, Reagan got just a few more points and he won 49 states. I will take 65% and/or 46 states. I'll do a c note or fifty, or twenty...after all it's for bragging rights. But if trump loses, you have to wear a "basket of deplorables" t-shirt for the entire month of December.

As an aside, I never liked the pejorative use of the word elite(s); it's simply code for the celebrated attack on science, academics, morality, truth, and the well educated in general (these are good things)...a cornerstone of fascism, of course.

It's a keystone of populism. In Hungary, just for example, this has already led to the end of CEU and the ongoing persecution of academics as "enemies of the people". In the United States, Trump's been using it to attack "the media". As an attitude it's extremely dangerous, because it turns into a justification for mass murder so easily.

As an aside, I never liked the pejorative use of the word elite(s); it's simply code for the celebrated attack on science, academics, morality, truth, and the well educated in general (these are good things)...a cornerstone of fascism, of course.

It's a keystone of populism. In Hungary, just for example, this has already led to the end of CEU and the ongoing persecution of academics as "enemies of the people". In the United States, Trump's been using it to attack "the media". As an attitude it's extremely dangerous, because it turns into a justification for mass murder so easily.

Exactly. That is why it so important for Elites to take this more seriously. I really don't think they are. If all they are doing is focusing on the bluster (which is all they have been doing.) They are toast, and so are we. That is why I am so emphatic about them not seeing this for what it is. And maybe they do, and just don't know what to do about it. Which I in turn say....look at the people and their problems and who they are. They are not deplorable. They have real problems and the elites are not addressing them. Trump is making their problems worse....but he speaks directly to them. Elites dont know how to communicate.

I am really only afraid of what comes after Trump. Trump in action is so far your garden variety Republican. Actually much better. No wars.

The elites are in serious trouble if they dont figure this out. And I agree that is a serious problem. There is absolutely no indication of progress in the last 4 years.

As an aside, I never liked the pejorative use of the word elite(s); it's simply code for the celebrated attack on science, academics, morality, truth, and the well educated in general (these are good things)...a cornerstone of fascism, of course.

It's a keystone of populism. In Hungary, just for example, this has already led to the end of CEU and the ongoing persecution of academics as "enemies of the people". In the United States, Trump's been using it to attack "the media". As an attitude it's extremely dangerous, because it turns into a justification for mass murder so easily.